How Could I Pass On This?

[Catch-22]

So I needed a "new" car and was thinking of some form of SUV or pick-up (N.E. winters). Brother-in-law had a 1993 ES300 (120K) and suddenly decided he wanted something newer. I think driving home from vacation in a hot car with no A/C did it for him (sounds like the expansion valve from what I've read here). So he offered it to me...for the dealer's trade-in price...$1,500.00!

He followed the factory maintence schedules to the letter (as did his friend, the previous owner) and the list of recent new parts/repairs was the tipping point.

In the last two years he has repaired or replaced: Radiator and hoses, both front axles, exhaust-complete, tires, brakes (F&R, rotors & pads), instrument cluster, radio antenna and changed the oil at 3k intervals. I think the totals were $4,000.00 or so.

The A/C was "repaired" by a local shop (twice), that obviously didn't do their homework, they assumed a leak and over charged the system. I'll do the valve and dryer to solve that one.

The other thing that had concerned him was a vibration at speed. Since the car had recent tires/brakes, he was expecting something major was wearing out, so...new car.

Once I checked out the wheel bearings, road tested the brakes, I too was thinking more like suspension bushings, struts, which wouldn't present that much of an issue (grease under my nails since I was 15). I knew by the "feel", the cause was in the rear of the car and walking around the right side...noticed the R.R. wheel had no weights! I'm fairly certain that's the culprit, the struts and bushings are old, but sound.

He (and the previous owner) kept all the slips for the work done (since new) and along with that, three extra keys and CD changer carts.

I've had it for about a month now and other than the expected valve cover gaskets, A/C, the wheel weight and the top motor strut...I can't find anything in need of immediate repair.

The body is in excellent condition, some minor hail damage and bumper scuffs, if I were to be really critical. The interior, that's a slightly different story. B-I-L did get the car cleaned and waxed often. Unfortunately they used Armor-all or something similar on the interior. Aside from out-gassing a (f-ing tough to remove) film on the glass, it aged the leather considerably.

The leather steering wheel was a goner, for now I've put on one of those Wheelskin covers...not bad for what it is. The seats etc; they will have to wait until warmer weather (any suggetions on products to revive/repair?).

They also put a fair amount of swirl marks on the paint while "detailing" it. I happen to own the Porter-Cable R.O. sander praised so highly elsewhere (furniture making and cars were a passion at 15, both stuck, lol) and with thirty years of experience with that and similar tools, I look forward to spring to rid those marks. It would be a shame to repaint it, the factory quality is far better than I ever realized (or could do). I don't know what they called this color, dark green metallic and layed on so smooth...impressive. Depending on the amount of sunlight hitting it and the angle, the color changes dramatically.

This is old news to most of you I'm sure, but I thought I'd share my "deal" and first impressions with my new favorite car (lol). I am a MOPAR guy from back in the regular gas days, Cuda AAR/Challenger T/A etc. Then had a little detour into FIAT land... X-1/9s Loved 'em (ask, I'll relate some oddball car stories about that one!)

I of course had seen Lexus, but never experienced the difference. After one month of driving this old one...I pity the big three.

So instead of buying a new Ford,GM or D/C...my "new" car is a 12 year old Lexus...I think I'm hooked! lol.

I added two pics as attachments, assuming it works, here's my car

[Lexusfreak]

Nice looking ES & welcome to the club! B)

Has the timing belt (and water pump) been changed at all? I didn't notice that on your list of things.

Keep on top of all your regular maintenance (oil changes, tranny fluid changes etc) & she will run like a top. B)

[Toysrme]

Looks almost like mine, just green & virgin! Yours looks like Sean's.

Get the alignment checked by a good place, it's pretty rare the suspension geometry parts & bearings wear out on the old ones.

If the A/C is still R12, buy some cans of Freeze 12 & recharge it after you make sure the valve is OK.

If it's 134a, check the pressure, if it's not good big cans are like $10.

Ewwwww god, never use armorall, or other "shiney" products on leather. They're all petrolium based & severly dry leather out regardless of hat they say. (Leather should be a matte finish, not shiney!) The best stuff you can buy is Lexol. You can try it. I have one gallon jugs of cleaner, and conditioner, about $20 a gallon. If you just wanna try it you can get the little spray bottles.

Ya, it seems like I keep trying to kill my '9 so I can get an old Miata and turn it into a track car, but the damned thing just won't keel over no matter what I do.

[Catch-22]

Nice looking ES & welcome to the club! B)

Thanks, I can't get over how smooth that V-6 pulls.

Has the timing belt (and water pump) been changed at all? I didn't notice that on your list of things.

The belt and pump were last done at 90K, it has 120K now...so I think I'm good.

[Lexusfreak]

The belt and pump were last done at 90K, it has 120K now...so I think I'm good.

←

Good good. B)

[Catch-22]

Looks almost like mine, just green & virgin! Yours looks like Sean's.

Get the alignment checked by a good place, it's pretty rare the suspension geometry parts & bearings wear out on the old ones.

I think if anything, it'll just need struts, they look like they've been at it for quite some time.

Ewwwww god, never use armorall, or other "shiney" products on leather. They're all petrolium based & severly dry leather out regardless of hat they say. (Leather should be a matte finish, not shiney!) The best stuff you can buy is Lexol. You can try it. I have one gallon jugs of cleaner, and conditioner, about $20 a gallon. If you just wanna try it you can get the little spray bottles.

Yeah....bringing the leather back is going to require some serious effort. It's very dry, cracked in a few places. Armor-all....ugh, always hated the stuff too.

thanks for the replies

[Toysrme]

Trust me, the engine is running like a dog!

Warm the engine up. Take a can of seafoam & pour/suck 1/3 of it into the intake via the vacuum testing port, or brake booster line. Immediately shut it off & let it sit 5 min. Crank the engine... Let it idle 5-10 min until the billowing smoke dies down then drive it around until the smoking goes away. I suggest holding a few low gears and letting it pull up through at least the redline (6250rpm) up into the 6850-7000rpm range a few times.

Do that 3 times in a row!

Put a 1/2 can of seafoam in the oil next time you change it. Put the other half in the gas tank when you stop to fill it up.

Clean the ACIS flap on the passanger side of the intake, clean the throttle body & idle valve.

Adjust the throttle cables to take any stretch out of them.

Adjust the transmission kick-down cable to be a little more sporty (I made a thred on that)

Cut the top off the Air-Flow Meter & adjust it a few clicks LEANER.

Set the engine into diagnostic mode-1 (Diagnostic port, bridge E1 &TE1). With an ignition timing light & advance the distributor 14-17* btdc from the 10*btdc stock timing.

Continue to run the cheapest 87 octane you can. :P

Eventually take the upper intake air chamber (commonly misnomered the itnake manifold) and clean it by hand & change the spark plugs. NGK, or Denso plugs ONLY.

Then it'll run very smoothly & like a top! Trust me, from the carbon build-up & crap in it, you aint seen smooth yet.

[Catch-22]

lol...You know that must have been a Freudian slip I made. It does run smoothly, but I know for certain neither prior owners (or the Lexus techs.) are as..ahem, anal about "smooth" as I am.

I'll let you now how smooth really feels..lol

That Seafoam reminds me of something I used years ago, same method of application. I assume it's supposed to clean the valves and chambers of the carbon build-up? Any issue with sensor contamination/damage using it? Speaking of which, O2 sensors...probably the originals (120K), the exhaust repair didn't show any charge for new ones. Service life? Or run them until they fail?

That engine will take a leaner charge and up to 17 degrees advance? Any issues with detonation or N.E. winter starting and operating (no choice, I use it for business)?

Thanks for the info.

[Toysrme]

Nope no problems, it's severly under timed and over fueled from the factory.

That's why 92-93 3vz-fe's are 184bhp@5800rpm 199lb-ft@4600rpm, while the 94-97.5 3vz-fe's (Not seen in North America have 200@5800 204@4600. Mechanically they're the same (Well not entirely, non NA cars have no EGR system.)

Funny story, some guy with a 3vz-fe Camry leaned it out a bit, then gave it 20*btdc base timing & went to the drag strip. The timing killed him and he added about a second & a half over what his 1/4 mile time should have been! - hahahaha.

Then there was the time I was rebuilding mine & somehow drove around on 40*btdc for a few days till I started wondering why it was pinging. Duh!

For whatever reason, ours are really resilliant to detonation. Who nows why.

Na, there shouldn't be a sensor problem with seafoam.

02 sensor are probably lazy & the cat is probably getting ready to go, if it hasn't. Mine was "descent" at 106,000 miles, Sean's was dead way before 100,000 so... Who knows. You can buy generic splice in Bosch o2 sensors for like $30. I like them!

With the o2 sensors, I like them to be prevent maint around every 100-120,000 miles, because with us, it's just $60 to put new ones in & takes like a 1/2 an hour. If you do some minor tuneup stuff & you're getting about 22mpg combined, they're still working well enough tho.

[Toysrme]

Ohhhh, when you do struts, ours are serviceable... Don't buy the recharge kit.

Just buy newer struts from december '94-'96 ES/Camry.

And the rear brake rotors are larger than a Camry's by like a 1/2". (We share our braking system with the Camry wagon)

[Catch-22]

I was thinking about replacing the entire struts next Spring actually. Those springs have been at it for 12 years. How much more could they possible cost? Which brings up another question...parts? I'm not looking to go overboard, atleast OEM in performance...favorite source? But....maybe a set of slightly stiffer and lower ride height springs..lol

You do have me thinking about the timing and mixture. I saw the instructions thread (have to search that again), seems a simple job.

What was the factory thinking, that's alot of timing left on the table for no good reason.

Check this out....I am half considering a "winter car" and leaving the Lexus in the garage for the winter...they put something in the air ducts don't they?

(Pun..as in, something that causes this sudden addiction to a 12 yr old car, lol)

[Toysrme]

Who knows what they were thinking on the timing. It's really odd, because no other VZ block, even the semi-related SOHC 3vz-e can take the timing like we can. They all start pinging around 14*, some 3vz-e's ping normally at 10* LoL!

Um the ducts shouldn't leak if you leave them out. The wipers have a winter/summer position. Normally they're under the hood out of sight, but you can like flip a connector, or switch, or wire and they'll go up into the winter position. (Look in Alabama we have no need for such things LoL)

I would suggest taking 20psi of compressed air and blowing in the sunroof hole drains tho. The sunroofs don't leak because they're designed to leak, they just flow it right out under the car, but if the drains back up it'll get all in the car. I had that happen a few months ago.

Springs, tons of good ones. Just take whatever drop you want. TRD/Eb's for the Camry are only 1.25", can't even see it on the front. The Solara ones are 1.5". There are a bunch of springs 1.5-1.75" drop.

I like Intrax. Whiteline Camry springs are the pimpest ever, but good luck - you'll have to find their USA importer, or get them from Australia!

Rear sway bar can make a huge difference. Whiteline, or TRD. TRD is two position, whiteline falls between the TRD settings. Personally, either buy the whtieline, or leave the TRD on the track setting.

Skip tower braces, they don't do anything but smack the intake, or hit the hood.